


Tangled

by serendipitous_rambles



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: AU, Disney, F/M, it's disney so they are going to sing, not all the time but be prepared, singing alert, tangled is one of my favourites so i had to write this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-03-21 11:01:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 16,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13739496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: This is the story of how Mike died. But don't worry, this is actually a very fun story and the truth is...it isn't actually his. This is the story of a girl named El...





	1. Flower, gleam and glow

**Prologue**

 

 

In a far away kingdom, there lived a beloved King and Queen, all the citizens adored them. They were kind but fair and no one could ask for better monarchs. But the queen, she fell ill. Very ill. And she was expecting a baby.

 

The kingdom didn't know what to do, but King James wouldn't rest, he scoured every book in the library looking for a solution.

 

He was about to give up hope, when at last he stumbled upon an ancient text.

 

Legend tells of the time a single drop of sunlight fell from the sky. Where it landed, a single golden flower grew, capable of curing any illness, even aging. It had immense power and in the wrong hands could have disastrous results.

 

But James knew he had to find it. Hundreds of scouts were sent out to find the flower and time was running out when at last, the flower was found.

 

Miraculously it worked, healing the Queen. A healthy baby girl was born with hair as gold as the flower. The King and Queen cherished her more than anything in the world. To celebrate her birth, they released a lantern into the sky. But unknown to them, an evil was lurking in the darkness.

 

Brenner was an old soul, using the flower for years to maintain his youthful age, even hiding the flower to use for his own selfish desires, wanting to unlock the secret to eternal life in hopes of one day becoming the most powerful man in the world.

 

When he heard the King had found the flower, Brenner snuck into the palace, wanting to steal it back. But he was too late, the flower had already been used and instead the power had passed on to the young Princess.

 

He had a simple plan, to steal a lock of hair he could use instead but when he cut a lock, it died and turned a dark brown, losing all its power.

 

By the time the King and Queen woke up it was too late, Brenner had stolen the Princess and disappeared long into the night.

 

The Queen went mad with grief, passing away from a broken heart. But the King never gave up. He never stopped searching. He would continue the search until the day he dies if it means his daughter would one day return to him. Every year on her birthday, the king would release thousands of lanterns into the night, hoping that their lost Princess would see them, and come home.

 

Brenner raised the Princess as his own daughter, using her for her power. He kept her locked away in a tower, telling her it was for her own safety. That the outside world was dangerous for someone with her gift, not knowing that the man she called her father was truly the dangerous one.

 

But no matter how hard he tried, Brenner couldn't lock out everything from that tower. The Princess would sneak out of bed in the darkness of her birthday and gaze out the window, up at the floating stars in the sky. One day….one day she would see them for real.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Tangled is one of my favourite Disney movies and it fits so well with a mileven au. So here we are haha. I can't decide if they're going to sing or not yet. I'd like to but I'm still figuring out how to write it without seeming cheesy. So it'll be an adventure!


	2. When will my life begin?

**18 years later...**

 

El leaned against the window beam, her bare feet hanging over the edge, feeling the breeze in her long hair. Her eyes were closed, content in the warm sun. She'd been in that tower her whole life, but papa said the outside world was dangerous.

 

The sound of tiny footsteps walked along the edge where she sat. El looked down to see her chameleon, Dart. Her only friend.

 

“What do you want to do?” She looked down.

 

Dart pointed his tail to outside the window and El laughed, shaking her head.

 

“Nuh uh, I like it in here and so do you.”

 

Dart simply looked at her. For a chameleon he was surprisingly expressive. 

 

She rolled her eyes. “Come on Dart. It's not so bad.” 

Deep down she knew it was a lie. What she wanted more than anything was to see the world, but she knew that could never happen. She would just ignore those feelings and lie to herself, telling herself she believed papa, yet every day she found herself doubting him more and more.

 

She leapt from the window, long hair trailing behind her. She began her daily routine, softly humming under her breath. El wrapped a strand around her hand and looped it on to a pulley system to open the other windows.

 

After she'd mopped the floors she looked up at the time,  _ only  _ 7:15?

 

El grabbed some books off the bookshelf, she baked cookies, made candles and painted the walls. She would use her hair as ropes and a support system, hanging from the ceiling to reach areas to paint. But the walls were covered with paintings, and she struggled to find somewhere to paint. Her eyes caught on the one blank space of wall, behind some curtains. 

 

She wasted no time grabbing a paint brush, splashing blues and yellows across the wall, her dream coming to life in front of her eyes.

 

After running a brush through the almost ten feet of hair, she collapsed on the floor, looking up at the ceiling, her hair surrounding her. She let out a deep sigh, singing to herself. 

 

“ _ When will my life begin?” _

 

El cast her eyes back to her painting, and stood up, slowly walking to her window. Her heart was full of the longing she'd tried to hide.

 

“ _ Tomorrow night _ …” she gently sang, leaning against her window. “ _ The lights will appear, just like they do on my birthday each year _ …”

 

Every year those lights would fill the night sky. Only appearing on her birthday. She'd thought maybe they were stars but these were different. She longed more than anything to see them.

 

“ _ What is it like? Out there where they glow…”  _ she slowly picked up her paintbrush, sighing to herself as she added a girl with long hair in the painting, watching the lights. The closest she would ever get to seeing them.

“ _ Now that I'm older, papa might just...let me go…” _

 

A familiar shouted jolted her from her thoughts. “Papa…” she jumped up. 

 

He couldn't know about Dart. He was an outside lizard, and papa would only take him away from El. Dart was her only friend. She couldn't let that happen.

 

“Coming!” She yelled after hiding Dart behind the curtains.

 

El ran to the window, looping her hair again in the pulley system and allowing the other half to fall out the tower down to the floor.

 

Papa grabbed on as she began pulling him up. They really needed a door.

 

“Hello El.” 

 

“Papa.” She unhooked her hair, breathing heavily from the exertion.

 

He dumped his basket on the table. “I don't know how you do that everyday.”

 

“It's nothing.” El shrugged.

 

“Then I don't know why it takes so long.” He grimaced.

 

El cautiously walked up to him, swinging on her heels. “So...Papa…”

 

He was looking at himself in the mirror, pulling at the skin. “El, Papa is feeling tired. Perhaps you could sing for me?”

 

“Oh uh...right.” El knew what that meant. The sooner she sang, the sooner he would listen to her. She ran to grab the stool, hair flying wildly behind her as she climbed the stairs to get the hair brush.

 

“Flower gleam and glow…” she hurriedly sang, her hair hardly having time to catch up and begin glowing. Papa's eyes widened, hurrying to try and soak up the magic, gaining his youth again. Her hair shone in a bright flash, Papa barely caught it. He threw the brush down. 

 

“El!” He shouted but she'd already stood up and was looking at him expectantly.

 

“My birthday is tomorrow…”

 

“Huh?” He looked up. “No, I distinctly remember, your birthday was last year.”

 

El nervously laughed. “Well, that's the thing about birthdays. They're kind of an annual thing.”

 

Papa merely sighed.

 

“I'm going to be 18. And I've thought about what I want. What I want, more than anything, is to see the floating lights.”

 

“The lights?” A hint of... fear crossed his features before they returned to the cold dismissive exterior. “You mean the stars.”

 

El shook her head. “No, I've tracked the stars.” She pulled a lever with her hair to open a window, the light shining on a chart of stars. “They’re always constant. But the lights appear every year on my birthday.  _ Only  _ on my birthday. I can't help but think...maybe they're meant for me? I have to see them. And not just from my window.”

 

Papa laughed. “For you? How could you even think of such an idea?”

 

“There has to be some reason why they only appear on my birthday. I'm old enough. I want to see them for myself. I want to go outside.”

 

Papa froze. “You want to go outside?” He took a step towards her. “You know the rules.”

 

“I can't live my life like this anymore!” She shouted. “I'm going to be 18 but I've never so much as stepped outside this tower!”

 

“You know why we stay up in this tower. To keep you safe.” His voice was unusually soft. “Trust me, Papa knows best.”

 

“But-”

 

“It's a scary world out there. One way or another, something will go wrong, I swear.”

 

He reached out and touched her hair, El hated it when he did that. 

 

“Ruffians, thugs,” he began listing off all the dangers while El gasped, she didn't know how dangerous the world really was.

 

“Poison ivy, quicksand. Cannibals and snakes, the plague-”

 

“No!”

 

“Yes!”

 

“But-”

 

“Also, large bugs, men with pointy teeth. And stop, no more, you'll just upset me.” Papa clasped a hand over his forehead.

 

El looked down. Papa had a point. 

“And look at you.” He lead her over to the mirror. “Sloppy, underdressed,” she self consciously covered her bare feet, never really realising that she wasn't suitably dressed for outside life…

 

“You're immature, clumsy.” He laughed, but there was no joy behind his eyes. “Please, they'll eat you up alive.”

 

El pulled away, feeling ashamed and embarrassed. How did she ever think she could handle herself out there? He was right.

 

“El, promise me you'll never ask to leave this tower again.” 

 

She looked down. “I promise.” She whispered.

 

Papa kissed her on the top of her head, but the gesture didn't seem affectionate. It never did.

 

“I hate looking like the bad guy.” he grabbed his cloak. “I'll be back in a few hours. I have to go to market.”

 

“I'll be here…” she mumbled. “Like always.”

 

El let him down the pulley system again, leaning on her elbows as she watched him leave. Her hair hung out the window, blowing in the breeze. She quietly began to hum to herself.

  
“ _ When will my liiife...begin? _ ” She sang under her breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to write the singing but it's harder than I thought haha


	3. They just can't get my nose right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was longer than I planned haha

Mike slid down the side of the castle, the two other thieves (brothers) behind him. Mike stopped, looking out at the view across the kingdom.

 

“Wow…” He smiled to himself. “I could get used to a view like this.”

 

“Wheeler! Get over here!” the larger brother called called.

 

“Hold on.” Mike didn't take his eyes off the view. “Yep. I'm used to it. Guys...I want a castle.”

 

“We do this job, you can buy your own castle.” He grabbed Mike by the shoulder and dragged him to the opening in the roof.

 

The throne room was silent, a lone guard protecting the crown. The lost Princess’ crown. Slowly, Mike descended from the ceiling attached to a rope.

He was lowered just close enough to reach the crown. At that moment the red headed guard sneezed and Mike couldn't help but grin to himself.

 

“Ugh, hay fever?”

 

“Yeah.” The guard nodded. Then the penny dropped. “Hey! Wait!” She shouted, but Mike had already been raised back through the ceiling, the crown stuffed in his satchel.

* * *

 

“Can you see me in a castle?” Mike said as they ran from the guards. “Because I certainly can. All the things we've seen and it's only 8 in the morning!”

 

Mike and the brothers ran into the forest, but the guards hadn't caught them yet.

 

He leaned against a tree, but felt the paper of s poster instead of the bark.

 

“Oh no...” he grabbed the poster. “This is bad...this is really, really bad.”

 

The brothers looked up. Mike showed them the poster.

 

“They just can't get my nose right!”

Sure enough, the wanted poster had a sketch of Mike. They had his eyes, hair and even freckles right. But his nose? His nose did _not_ look anything like that.

 

“This is insulting.” He stuffed the poster into the satchel. He had many wanted posters from the other crimes he'd committed. But it still hurt that they couldn't even make one look like him.

 

“Wheeler!” One of the brothers shouted.

 

“It's alright for you.” Mike bent down looking at the other two wanted posters. “You guys look great.”

 

“There!”

 

Mike turned to see the redheaded guard from earlier on her horse, accompanied by about 10 other guards. He ran, the brothers behind him, but they came to a dead end.

 

Mike stopped. “Give me a boost and then I'll pull you up.”

 

“Give us the satchel first. How do we know you're not just going to run off with it and leave us?”

 

Mike stepped back and pretended to look hurt. “You don't _trust_ me?”

 

The brothers’ faces remained unmoving.

 

“Wow...you know, I thought we had something.” Mike shook his head and handed them the satchel with the crown.

 

He reached the top of the cavern and looked down at the two brothers stacked on top of each other. The guards were gaining on them.

 

“Pull us up!”

 

“I'm sorry.” Mike laughed and held up the satchel he'd stolen back whilst he was climbing. “My hands are full.” He smirked. “You were right not to trust me.”

 

Mike ran off with the satchel, not daring to look back. He could hear the muffled shouts of “Wheeler!” in the distance. Those guys weren't his real friends. He didn't care if they got caught. He had to look out for number one. Always had, always will do.

 

The red headed guard separated from the others, her mind set on catching the main thief. She saw him running alone, but she lost him in the trees, taking a path on foot she couldn't make on her horse.

 

Mike glanced over his shoulder, the guard was on his tail. Thinking fast, he ducked within a nearby bush and the guard ran past him.

 

“Ha!” Mike laughed to himself, feeling smug. He crept backwards farther, just to be sure he was out of sight for a few minutes before deciding on his next plan.

 

But when he leaned back on what he thought was a rock, he fell straight through. The wall of leaves gave way to a small tunnel. It seemed like a good place to lie low for a few minutes.

 

But when he entered the tunnel, the light was shining through, so he followed all the way. He almost dropped the satchel at the sight.

 

Hidden within the high walls was a tall tower, with ivy crawling up the sides. The grass surrounding it was green, a small pond near the base of the tower.

 

There was no door and Mike thought it could make a good hide out. He got out two arrows from the satchel - he had also stolen those from the brothers, but hey, he was a thief after all. He stuck them in to the rock of the tower to help him stick and he begun to climb.

 

His arms were screaming in pain under the weight of carrying his body up the tower. It was taller than he'd originally thought.

 

Finally when he climbed inside, he breathed out a sigh of relief. “Alone at last…”

 

But the words died out of his mouth when a large crack sounded and he was wiped out cold, hitting against the tiled surface.

* * *

 

 

El had heard the sound of someone struggling up the tower but when she glanced over the edge, she saw that it was not papa but a stranger. Probably one of the bad men he'd warned her about. 

 

She panicked but told herself to remain calm. This was why papa thought she wasn't able to handle herself out there. Looking around, her eyes locked on a frying pan and she held it tight in her hands, waiting for the stranger to get to the top. The plan was simple, if she could stop him, maybe papa would see she was brave enough to go out to the real world.

 

The stranger reached the top, and he was carrying some kind of satchel. But before he could see her she hit him hard on the head with the pan. He fell immediately to the floor, dropping the satchel.

 

She stood back, her frying pan raised. On her shoulder, Dart began growling. He looked to the stranger on the floor and El looked back at Dart.

 

“Do you think he has pointy teeth?” she whispered and Dart shrugged.

 

Slowly, she reached the handle of the frying pan to lift his mouth. But she dropped her hand when she saw the row of normal white teeth.

 

“Oh.” she looked a little disappointed.

 

His messy black hair was covering his face, and something in El made her reach out with the frying pan handle and lift the hair from his eyes.

 

“Oh…”

 

He looked barely older than her, his pale cheeks dotted with freckles. She felt her chest tighten looking at him. He didn't  _ seem  _ dangerous. His face looked soft and peaceful. She felt herself leaning closer, as if to get a better look.

 

His eyes suddenly burst open, a deep brown colour. “What…” he mumbled.

 

El gasped, leaning back as she hit him on the head again, knocking him out.

 

She began pacing. “What do I do? What do I do Dart?!” She gestured to the boy out cold in her room. “Papa will kill me if he comes home and he's just lying on the floor.”

 

Dart ran over to the closet and gestured to it with his tail.

 

“The closet?” El looked back to the boy on the floor. “Yeah….ok. Yeah, I'll just hide him in my closet.” She nodded, but she wasn't sure how it would work.

 

She tied her hair around the middle of the boy, but his unconscious body was heavy and she struggled to get him in the closet. The door kept falling open and she was even crushed under the boy at one point (Dart was not helping with that laugh).

 

At last she managed to hold the door closed, propping a chair in front. She sighed and leaned back against the door.

 

Dart looked up at her and she smiled. “I can't believe I did that.” She confessed.

 

“I have a person in my closet…” she stood up and ran a hand through her hair. “I have a person...in  _ my closet!” _

 

She felt the weight of the frying pan in her hand and looked at herself in the mirror. She felt a new confidence and began swinging the frying pan around.

 

“What's that? Think I'm too weak to handle myself out there papa?” She laughed to herself. “Well, tell that to my trusty frying pan - ow!”

 

She hit herself in the head with the pan and Dart began chuckling again.

 

El turned to scowl at him but her eyes landed on the satchel the boy had left on the floor. The object inside of it was sparkling.

 

“What…” she bent down to pick it up. Inside was a...well, she didn't know what exactly. 

 

She tried it on her wrist but it was too big for a bracelet. She looked at her reflection in the mirror as she lifted the object to her head. Something twisted inside her. A strange feeling...like...like she'd seen this before. A feeling of warmth she'd never felt before.

 

“El!” Papa's familiar voice sucked the warm feeling out her chest, replacing it with a cold, bitter chill.

 

“Uh...coming!” She quickly stuffed the tiara and the satchel in a nearby pot and ran to the window.

 

Papa waited for her to release her hair, wrapping his foot in the loop and El pulled him up.

 

He returned from market with a basket of vegetables. “You know I hate leaving you after a fight.” He said as he began to unpack them. 

 

“It's ok because I have something I think will change your mind.” El slowly began to back up towards the closet. She would reveal the boy and papa would see she was capable of handling herself.

 

“I hope this isn't about the stars.” He grimaced, not even looking over his shoulder. “Because we've talked about this.”

 

“The lights.” She corrected. “And I'm leading up to that. Because you said I can't handle myself and-”

 

“I'm not changing my mind.”

 

“If you would just listen…”

 

“No!” He shouted turning and pointing a sharp finger at her. “Enough with the lights! You are not leaving this tower! EVER!” 

 

El recoiled at his harsh words, they stung as much as if he'd struck her about the face.

 

“I was...I was going to say….” El mumbled, hugging her arms to her chest. “That...I know what I want for my birthday. Some more paint?”

 

Papa visibly relaxed. “The paint? But that's at least a 3 day trip.”

 

“I just thought it was better than...than the stars…” she looked away, not meeting his gaze.

 

Papa sighed but agreed. “Fine.”

 

He set about preparing for his trip, El even packed him some food. He was reluctant to leave, but he knew she couldn't exactly go anywhere.

 

“Be safe.” He kissed her hair and she winced.

 

“I'll be safe as long as I stay here.” She smiled at him.

 

El lowered papa and her hair, watching until the very last moment until he was out of sight before running back to the closet.

 

If papa wasn't going to take her to see the lights, then maybe she could strike up a deal with the boy...


	4. Careful, it can probably smell fear

Mike's eyes shot open, but he couldn't move. He looked down and his arms were tied...in hair?

 

“What….?” He followed the trail, leading in to the shadows.

 

“Who are you and how did you find me?”

 

Mike's jaw dropped slightly. The girl, around his age, slowly stepped out from the darkness.

 

“Uh huh…” Mike just stared blankly. He couldn't remove his gaze from her face.

 

“Who _are you_ and _how_ did you _find_ me?” She stressed the words, holding her frying pan up higher to her face in defense.

 

Mike blinked and cleared his throat, thinking of some stupid line he used on all the village girls. It would probably work on her too, why wouldn't it?

 

“I know not who you are or how I came to find you, but let me just say...hi.” he raised an eyebrow, flashing a wide smile. But the girl just stared at him, brows furrowed.

 

“Names, Mike, Mike Wheeler.”

 

“And what do you want with my hair... _Mike Wheeler_.” El approached him, holding up her frying pan. “To cut it? Sell it?”

 

He struggled against where she had tied her hair around his wrists on the chair. “Look, the only thing I want with your hair is to get out of it. _Literally._ ”

 

She pulled on her hair, the chair turning to face her.

 

“Look, I'm prepared to make a deal with you.”

 

“Please don't.”

 

She climbed up to where she had painted the floating lights and pulled back the curtains. “Do you know what these are?”

 

“The lantern thing? They do that for the lost Princess every year.” He shrugged. It was stupid, everyone still hopeful that the Princess was out there. It was time they gave up...like how his parents gave up on him.

 

“Lanterns…” El looked at her painting and let out a laugh of relief. She'd told papa they weren't stars. “Then you will take me to see these lanterns tomorrow night, acting as my guide.”

 

Mike laughed and El felt an anger build inside her. How dare he laugh at her dream. “Yeah, and _why_ would I do that?”

 

El smirked, she finally had the upper hand. “Oh I don't know...maybe the fact that I've hidden your precious satchel where you'll never find it.”

 

The smile faded from Mike's face. “Look, the kingdom and I aren't exactly… “friends” right now.”

“You _will_ take me.”

 

“I'll find the satchel somehow.” Mike shrugged, he wasn't scared of her.

 

“Something brought you here, Mike Wheeler.” She jumped down, pulling her hair towards her so the chair turned again. “Call it what you will, fate... destiny…”

 

“I was being chased!” Mike struggled again. “I saw a tower and I climbed it.”

 

“And I have made the decision to trust you.”

 

“A horrible decision really.” Mike deadpanned.

 

“But trust me when I say you can tear this tower apart brick by brick, but without my help, you'll never find your precious satchel.”

 

Mike looked away from her intense gaze. “How will I know _I_ can trust _you_?”

 

She pulled her hair towards her, Mike's chair tipping forward. She caught it with her hand so they were almost nose to nose. She could see every last freckle on his face, the curls in his hair. Mike's eyes met hers, an intensity that wasn't there before. He felt his stomach jolt and he couldn't explain the feeling.

 

“I _promise_ .” She emphasised. “And when I promise something, I never _ever_ break that promise. Ever.”

 

He stared at her in silence for a few moments, she held his gaze.

 

“Fine.” He sighed. “I'll take you to see the lanterns.”

 

“Really?!” El let go of the chair, her eyes wide with excitement. She couldn't believe it. She was actually going to leave the tower.

* * *

 

After El untied Mike, he climbed down the tower. She stood watching him, her frying pan under her arm as she clutched the hair she was going to use to lower herself. Slowly she moved so her feet were just over the edge.

 

“Ready Dart?” She took a deep breath.

 

“ _ Look at the world so close and I'm halfway to it… _ ” she quietly sang under her breath.

18 years she'd been in that tower but she was about to make her first steps of freedom. Her palms were sweating, she could feel her heart beat in her throat. 

“ _ Look at it all so big...do I even dare? _ ”

 

This was crazy. She shouldn't do this. She should stay in the tower where it's safe. But she had to know. Those lanterns were for  _ her.  _ They had to be.

 

Mike was halfway down the tower but El still hadn't followed. “Are you coming or what?” He called up. But he almost lost his grip on the tower when a large pile of blonde hair fell to the ground. 

 

El used it like a rope, sliding down the length of the tower. She was smiling and laughing, and Mike caught himself smiling  _ at  _ her. It was a moment of pure joy but he reminded himself that he was only doing this so he could get his satchel back. He was not under  _ any  _ circumstances going to fall in love with her. He was looking out for number one, and that meant no time for romance.

 

He shook his head as if to clear the thought away, and he saw how she'd stopped an inch above the ground. 

 

El hesitated, scared about making that final step. But with a deep breath, she let go of her hair and her foot touched the cool grass. She felt the blades between her toes and she let out a laugh of relief. The air was so fresh, it felt cool.

 

She fell on the ground, looking up at the sky. She stretched out her arms, feeling the grass beneath her. She began running around like a child, looking up at the trees, feeling the ground, hearing the birds.

 

“ _ For like the first time ever, I'm completely free! _ ”

 

She hadn't felt so happy in all her life as she ran out that cavern, out into the real world, into the forest. If only she'd been able to leave earlier. She'd missed out on so much. But not anymore. She was finally free, finally living her life.

 

“ _ Now's when my liiiiife, beeeegiiiiins! _ ” she sang, taking in the sights of the wildlife.

 

Mike ran out of the little cavern and spotted El. “Whoa Blondie. Where're you running off to?”

 

“Sorry. I just... can't believe I did this!” El was still looking around at all the trees. “Papa is going to be so mad. I shouldn't have done this. I'm a horrible daughter.”

 

Mike watched as her face went through twenty different emotions within a few moments. He hoped she was having second thoughts, maybe he could convince her to leave early and he'd get his satchel. There was no way she'd really go through with this, right?

 

“Maybe we should head back. Don't want to destroy the father/daughter relationship you have that's built on trust. You're right, you're breaking his heart. It's probably best to just turn in now.”

 

“Breaking his heart?” El looked at Mike. She didn't want to do that.

 

“But we'll just forget about the deal, you hand me back my satchel and viola! We part as unlikely friends.” Mike wrapped his arm around her, guiding her back the way they came.

 

But El shrugged out of his grip. “No. I'm seeing these lanterns. And I don't care  _ what _ you say. What papa doesn't know can't hurt him. And I've been waiting 18 years for this. He’ll see I can handle myself out here.”

 

Mike opened his mouth to argue but the nearby bush began to rustle.

 

El hid behind Mike, jumping on to his back out of fear and pointing her frying pan over his shoulder.

 

“Is it ruffians?  _ Thugs?! _ ” Her grip on his shoulder got tighter.

 

“How would I know?” Mike rolled his eyes.

 

The bush stopped rustling and a small bunny hopped out. 

“Careful.” Mike said over his shoulder. “It can probably smell fear.”

 

El sighed in relief, lowering her pan as she jumped off Mike's back. “Sorry. I guess I'm a little jumpy.”

 

Mike had an idea. If he could scare her, maybe she'd want to go home, and he could get his satchel back earlier. “Hmm...we should probably avoid ruffians and thugs.”

 

“That would be best.”

 

He knew just the place for her. “Are you hungry? I'm hungry.” Mike said with a false enthusiasm. “I know this perfect little place. It's nice. It's called the Snuggly Duckling.”

 

El looked unsure, but the rumbling in her stomach gave her away. “Well...I  _ do  _ like ducklings.”

 

“Yay!” Mike said in a sing songy voice, El was unaware of the mocking tone.

 

He lead her to the most inappropriately named tavern in the kingdom. Mike smirked smugly, thinking he'd be getting his satchel back a lot sooner than planned.


	5. I've got a dream

Mike knew his plan would work. There was no way she was going to want to carry on if she met all these bad guys. The Snuggly Duckling was known for its reputation as being the place where criminals and bad guys congregated.

 

His plan was simple, just scare her a little, she'll give up, hand him the crown and they'll never have to see eachother again. Perfect.

 

“Look at this!” Mike burst open the door, smiling widely. Bearded men with swords and axes turned to look at El and Mike. She froze and held out her frying pan as protection.

 

Mike wrapped an arm around her and they walked through the bar. El scooped up the long hair and carried it, moving out of reach as their hands went to touch it.

 

“Hey, blondie. Look at all the blood in this guy's mustache.” Mike was leaning against the table, pretending to admire the bloodied beard of a rough looking man with a hook for an arm.

 

“Uh…” she recoiled a little, clutching her frying pan.

 

An axe cut through the air, narrowly avoiding Mike, to bury itself in a wanted poster behind the bar.

 

The room filled with silence as heads turned towards where the axe had come from. A young man, curly hair sticking out of a horned helmet, slowly stood up and approached Mike.

 

Mike laughed nervously and leaned backwards as the young man got in his face. Mike was taller, but the other man was stronger.

 

“Is that you?” He pointed to the wanted poster and Mike gulped.

 

His eyes drifted to the poster and he audibly groaned. “Oh come on! Now they're just being mean.”

 

The man nodded and two more young men grabbed Mike by the arms. “That's a pretty big reward.”

 

“What!” Mike shouted but he was swarmed by the men, all eager to have the reward of handing him in.

 

“Mike!” El shouted but was pushed by the men. She climbed on the nearby table. “Give me back my guide!”

 

But no one was listening. She lassoed her hair around some kind of lever, releasing it so it hit the man on the head. “I need him to take me to the lanterns, to see my dream!” She pulled her hair in anger. “Ugh! Haven't any of you ever had a dream?!”

 

The men froze and the man who had thrown the axe approached El and she stepped back, raising her frying pan. But he simply smiled and looked wistfully into the distance. “ _I_ had a dream, once.”

 

The other young man, with darker skin but almost as tall, who was holding Mike grabbed him by the shirt and hooked him to the wall to keep him there. El almost laughed at Mike's disgruntled expression, arms folded, legs dangling in the air like a toddler.

 

“I had dream too…” he said, adjusting the bandana on his head.

 

“What…?” Mike looked around, the smallest one, who Mike thought he could probably take, began playing the piano. “Am I dead?”

 

Out of nowhere, the curly haired one stood up, singing. “I'm malicious, mean and scary, my sneer could curdle dairy…” he smiled to reveal his missing teeth, “and violence wise my hands are not the cleanest.” He held up his axe. “But despite my crazy hair, and the threatening of my stare…I’ve always dreamt of being a royal scientist.”

 

Mike tried to cover his ears because man...they could _not_ sing.

 

El's smile widened and she began slowly lowering her frying pan.

 

“I've got a dream...I've got a dream...see I ain't as cruel as vicious as I seem! Though I do like breaking femurs, you can count me with the dreamers...like everybody else I've got a dream!”

 

El began clapping along as the other men joined in, dancing on the tables. But Mike hung there stoned faced, wanting this nightmare to end.

 

The darker boy stood up and began singing about how he secretly dreamed of finding true love. “I've got a dream, I've got a dream, and I know one day romance will reign supreme!”

 

The boy playing the piano sung about his dream of being an artist, then everyone else began reeling off their wild dreams like interior design, baking, even collecting ceramic unicorns.

 

“What about you?” The first boy folded his arms and grimaced at Mike, letting him down from the wall.

 

He laughed and shook his head, folding his own arms. “Sorry boys...I don't sing.”

 

He opened his eyes to see about 10 swords pointed at his face. Mike sighed and jumped up on to the table.

 

“Uh...I have dreams like you, no really...just much less touchy feely.” He began singing, feeling so awkward.

 

El looked up but couldn't stop the smile creeping onto her face. He was kind of...cute? The way he was so awkward. She didn't know why but she felt her heart beating faster. Mike sang about how he wanted an island that he owned where he would be alone, surrounded by money.

 

El jumped up, laughing as she sang, “I've got a dream! I've got a dream! I just wanna see the floating lanterns gleam!”

 

Mike turned to face her, seeing her light up when she sang. He had to fight the smirk playing on his lips.

 

“And with every passing hour, I'm so glad I left my tower! Like all you lovely folks I've got a dreeeeam!”

 

The bar was alive with the spontaneous singing, El dancing on the table with the curly haired boy, laughing and shouting as they spun around and around.

 

“Call us brutal!”

 

“Sick!”

 

“Sadistic!”

 

“And grotesquely optimistic!”

 

Mike tripped over one of the beer barrels that the men were rolling and throwing around. His eyes caught El's and they both smiled before he turned away. No. He wasn't going to do this, he wasn't going to let himself get attached.

 

“Yes way down deep inside I've got a dreeeeam!”

 

They threw their glasses into the air, beer and various drinks splashing every where. El's hair was flying, she'd never felt so carefree in her life.

* * *

 

The door suddenly burst open, one of the thugs running in with a smug grin on his face and the wanted poster of Mike in his hand. “I found the guards!”

 

“Ok, we gotta go!” Mike grabbed El's hand and pulled her behind the bar and ducked down.

 

“Wait why?!” She looked over her shoulder as they ran. The moment of joy was gone, replaced with a cold sinking feeling in her stomach.

 

Mike was muttering to himself about trying to find a way out. The 3 men that had started the whole singing fiasco jumped over the bar.

 

“Uhhh….” Mike looked around for a weapon. “You'll never take me alive!”

 

“Shut it!” The curly haired one whispered. “We're trying to help you.”

 

“You should get a chance to live your dream.” The smaller boy said, smiling warmly at them.

 

Mike smiled back, “Really? Thank you.”

 

The darker skinned boy lightly shoved him. “Not you! He was talking to her. Your dream stinks.”

 

“Ouch.” Mike rolled his eyes.

 

“I'm El.” She held out her hand.

 

“Dustin.” The curly haired boy said. “This is Will and Lucas.”

 

Lucas got up and pulled a lever at the bar that looked like he was pulling a pint of beer. A trap door opened beneath the bar.

 

“This should lead outside, away from here. It's a secret tunnel.” Dustin explained. “It might be your only chance.”

 

“Why are you helping us?” Mike was never one to trust easily. He'd been let down too many times, he could only afford to look out for number one.

 

“Because, our dreams might never come true. But...but maybe yours could.” Will smiled, trying to hide the hurt of the reality that he probably would never be an amazing artist.

 

“Your dreams can still come true!” El whispered, reaching out to touch Will's arm.

 

“Ok, El we need to go! We need to  _ go! _ ” Mike grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down the tunnel.

 

“Thank you! For everything!” She called behind her, waving goodbye to Dustin, Will and Lucas.

* * *

 

 

A few hours ago…

Max ran a hand through her hair, removing her royal helmet. 

“This can't be happening. I can't return to the castle without the crown…” she began pacing. “That no good thief!”

She had been chasing the thief but she'd lost him and now she was stuck. “Think Max, think!” She was muttering to herself under her breath. 

She sat down on a nearby rock, nervously tapping her feet. If she could maybe make a replica crown….? No that was stupid.

Footsteps pulled her out of her thoughts. She jumped up, no one in their right mind would be out in the forest. Except that thief….

She ducked behind a bush, hand over her sword just in case. As the footsteps approached she leapt from behind the bush, brandishing her sword and shouting.

The old man stopped, almost having a heart attack.

“Oh, forgive me, sir.” Max bowed, lowering her sword. She would be in so much trouble if the sergeant knew she had raised her sword at an innocent civilian.

“A royal guard?” The man sneered. “Aren't you a little far from the palace. Maybe you should learn to control yourself.”

“I said I was sorry you creepy old man!” Max snapped back.

“Maybe you should learn to hold your tongue as well.”

“Maybe you should learn to hold your tongue as well.” She mocked his voice under her breath. Then, with a louder, more monotone voice she said “Forgive me.” 

The man grimaced and left on his way, Max gave an inappropriate gesture behind his back that she knew would definitely have gotten her kicked off the royal guard.

She turned around and saw the wanted poster on the tree and grabbed it, ripping it in half. “I'll find you….Mike Wheeler.”

* * *

 

 

Brenner was in a foul mood from that encounter with the presumptuous red headed guard. But a pin suddenly dropped inside his mind. A guard? A  _ royal  _ guard. Far from the palace... what if….El?! He dropped the basket off food El had packed for him and ran back to the tower. 

“El?! El?! Let down your hair?!” He shouted, but there was no reply. He frantically ran to the side of the tower where he had bricked up a secret door that lead up to the tower. 

When he climbed the stairs he collapsed on the floor. El was no where to be seen. Something shiny caught his eye and he pulled apart the broken stair to see the royal crown. How had she gotten that? If she's been found….no. He had to find her before it was too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (I had to change the lyrics a tiny bit because Dustin doesn't have a hook)


	6. Let's just assume that everybody here doesn't like me

The castle. Brenner knew El must be on her way to the castle, so he followed a path through the woods. It would be about a day's journey, but he knew he could find her.

 

From seemingly out of nowhere, he could hear people singing, and followed the noise to a pub called the Snuggly Duckling. Brenner crept around the side, and peeked through the dusty, broken window. He gasped aloud when his eyes landed on El. She was singing about those damn lights, and dancing with ruffians.

 

The sound of approaching horses made Brenner shrink back. The royal guard burst into the pub. If El was captured... but he saw her duck behind a bar.

 

Max had been on her way back to the castle, ready to be exiled for losing the thief and the crown. But she saw a herd of her comrades crowding a pub. She pushed her way through the crowd and saw they were searching for Wheeler.

 

“Is this the man you're looking for?” A large, curly haired thug showed them a smaller boy.

 

“Ah! You got me!” He cried, but everyone knew it was the wrong one.

 

Max walked around the pub. “I know you're here somewhere Wheeler…”

 

She leaned back against the bar, and fell backwards when she'd accidentally pressed a lever.

 

She looked over and saw the hole in the floor appear, a grin widening on her face.

 

Brenner watched from outside as the guards disappeared one by one down the trap door, where El must have gone.

 

A small, old drunk man stumbled out the bar, humming a tune.

 

“You! Old man!” Brenner shouted.

 

“Who are _you_ calling _old_?” The man slurred drunkenly.

 

Brenner pulled out his pocket knife, holding it up to the man's large nose. “Where does that tunnel lead out?”

* * *

 

Mike raised the lantern he had stolen from the pub before he left. The light in the tunnel was bad, but there was just about enough visibility, especially with the lantern.

 

They had been walking in silence for a few minutes when El decided to speak up.

 

“So…” she cast an eye up at Mike. “That was quite the song you sang back there.”

 

Mike chuckled quietly, raising a hand in defense. “Hey, they had knives to my throat. What about you? You were up there too.”

 

“But I never said I didn't sing.” She raised an eyebrow and smirked. “It was unexpected of you, that's all.”

 

“Well, there's a lot about me you don't know.” He looked forward, not meeting her gaze. The playfulness in his voice had disappeared.

 

El nodded, drawing her eyes away from him. “There's a lot about me you don't know either.” She mumbled.

 

“What's the deal with that frog anyway?” Mike lifted the awkward mood by gesturing to Dart who had been asleep on El's shoulder, concealed by her hair.

 

“Chameleon.”

 

“Same thing.”

 

“He found his way into the tower once. Papa would never approve because he was from outside. But it was a storm and he was alone, scared...so I took him in.” El smiled, the memory of Dart warming her. He had always been there for him, as silly as it seems considering her was a chameleon. “He was the only friend I really had…”

 

Mike finally looked at her. But she was looking down at the ground, playing with a loose strand of her hair.

 

There came a thundering echo throughout the tunnel, the ground beginning to shake slightly.

 

“What the…” Mike turned and saw the shadows running towards them. “They found us!”

 

El began running, scooping up some of her hair and Mike followed behind, scooping up the last bit so her hair didn't trail on the floor.

 

“Keep running!” Mike shouted. “Keep running!”

 

“I heard you the first time!” She called back, still running forward.

 

They took a turn and came out at a dead end above a canyon. There was a dam above them, supported by wooden beams and structures, but they were too far away to climb on.

 

“Uh….” Her eyes were wide with panic. “Mike?”

 

“Hang on….” He began looking around. There was at least a 10 foot drop, possibly more beneath them. So they couldn't jump for it.

 

“Mike, who's that?” El pointed to where the guards had appeared.

 

“Yeah... they don't like me.” Mike pointed to them. 

 

The guards moved aside to shove the two thief brothers Mike had abandoned and left to be arrested.

 

“Ah…” he stepped back. He wasn't expecting to ever see them again.

 

“Who's that?!” She gripped her frying pan tighter as she hid behind Mike.

 

“They don't like me either…”

 

Max pushed her way through, brandishing her sword. “Wheeler!”

 

“Who's  _ that? _ ” El didn't know why everyone was after Mike, why they seemed to know him.

 

He grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. “Let's just assume that everybody here doesn't like me!”

 

El slowly backed away as the guards edged closer. She frantically looked around, her eyes landing on one of the wooden beams that was holding up the dam. 

 

“Hold this.” she shoved the frying pan into Mike’s hands.

 

Quickly, she lassoed her hair around a beam, pulling it down and blocking off most of the guards. But Max and two others had crept through before.

 

“We need to jump.” El said but Mike just shook his head.

 

“Yeah, not gonna happen. That’s a ten foot drop at  _ least  _ and I kind of like living.”

 

She didn’t listen to him and threw her hair over another beam from above. With a jump she swung to the other side of the canyon. Mike’s mouth hung open in awe. Since when could she do that?

 

“We don’t have time!” she yelled, but the guards were slowly cornering Mike.

 

He hesitantly raised the frying pan, using it as a shield against the guards. He hit them over the head and they fell to the floor.

 

“Oh man!” he cried, looking at the pan. “Oh wow, I have got to get me one of these!”

 

“You can’t run Wheeler.” Max approached steadily.

 

“Oh yeah?” he smirked. “En garde.”

 

Max scoffed and attacked him with her sword, but he was holding up pretty well with his frying pan. The scene was ridiculous.

“You should know this is the strangest thing I’ve ever done!” Mike laughed, the sound of the sword clashing against the pan echoing in his ears.

 

“Ah ha!” Max caught him off guard and the frying pan fell over the edge of the canyon.

 

“Uh...how about two out of three?” he raised his hands in defense.

 

El knew she had to step in. She couldn’t let him die, she needed to see the lights. She was so close to her dream.

 

“Mike!” she threw her hair, wrapping it around his hand and he jumped off the canyon.

 

He swung across and landed on the floor of the canyon, but El was still trapped at the top. Max had managed to break down the other barrier, making a bridge across the canyon.

 

“El! Jump!” Mike pointed to Max.

 

El once again used her hair as a pendulum to swing down, meeting Mike. She had found her frying pan and grabbed it once again. But the water had started to leak from the dam.

 

It was hurtling towards them fast. Mike helped El pick up her hair and they began running to a nearby cave thinking it was a tunnel.

 

But the wave of water knocked down the stone pillar in the canyon, and it blocked off their exit.

 

“We're trapped.” El was trying to break the wall with her frying pan.

 

Mike slowly backed away from the incoming flux of water.

 

“There has to be some way….” He hit his shoulder against the wall, as if that would do anything.

 

The cave started filling up with water, up to their waists within a matter of moments. Mike dived down, trying to pull some rocks off the wall but he cut his hand in the process.

 

He surfaced, his dark hair curling around his forehead. El tried to dive down but Mike pulled her back up, pushing the hair from her eyes.

 

“It's no good. It's pitch black down there.” His voice was soft for a change.

 

El leaned back against the wall. “I'm so, so sorry Mike. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be in this mess.”

 

“Hey,” Mike rested a hand on her shoulder. “It's not like I had anything worth living for anyway.”

 

“What?” She looked at him, and something inside her broke. The way he just said it so casually.

 

“I have no family, I'm broke...I steal things. I guess...I guess I regret not being a better person.” He smiled weakly at her, he seemed so vulnerable all of a sudden. “I figured...at least someone should know my biggest regret.”

 

“If we're sharing secrets…” El shrugged, “I have magic hair that glows when I sing.”

 

“Wait what?” Mike looked at her hair. “Be serious.”

 

“No it's true.” She insisted. Then the lightbulb went off in her head. “My hair... glows when I sing….”

 

The water was slowly rising, up to their chests now.

 

“Uh, flower gleam and glow, let your power shine.” She began to sing frantically, the water almost up to the roof of the cave.

 

They were completely submerged in the water, but her hair had begun to glow brightly. Mike almost let out his breath in shock. The light from her hair lit up the darkness, and a small patch of rocks that could easily be broken were right in Mike's view. Together they began to scrabble at the rocks, creating a gap where the cave let out.

 

With a final shove, the rocks gave way and they fell out into the river.

 

El clambered on to the river bank, looking up at the sky. “We're alive?!” She threw a fist in the air, breathing out a sigh of relief. “We’re alive!”

 

Mike flopped on to the river bank, coughing and spluttering. His curly hair was sticking to his forehead. “Her hair glows…” he mumbled to himself. “Why...why does her hair glow?”

 

El jumped up, fishing her hair out of the river. “Mike?”

 

“She sings and it glows….” He mumbled, Dart was looking at him with an expression as if the chameleon were laughing. “Am I dead?” He asked Dart.

 

“Mike!”

 

“What?!” He looked at her, brushing the hair from his eyes.

 

“It doesn't just glow.”

 

“Uh…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate making it sound like Max is bad, but she's supposed to be Maximus only human.
> 
> And I know I'm super wishy-washy with when Dart is around, I kind of forget about him until it's sort of relevant and that's probably annoying but he doesn't add anything to the story he's just so El could have a Pascal


	7. Why does her hair glow?

“Sit still!” El held Mike's hand firmly as she wrapped her hair around the cut.

 

He tried to ignore the racing of his heart at the contact. He kept telling himself he'd promised himself he wouldn't fall in love, it was too risky and just a way to get hurt. But with every passing hour with her, he was finding it harder and harder to keep his promise. He kept finding out new things about her, seeing her gain confidence, fighting those thugs. Saving him.

 

“What exactly is happening?” Mike raised his eyebrows. “It's kind of cryptic.”

 

“It's fine but... just don't freak out.” She closed her eyes and took a breath before singing the same song to make her hair glow.

 

Mike watched as the glow started at the top of El's head, moving down the length of her hair. They had found a few logs to set up camp for the night as it started to get darker, Mike had built a small fire. It was reflecting of their faces, but it was overpowered by the glowing of El's hair.

 

Mike tried to remain calm as the hair around his hand lit up. He felt a strange warmth.

 

“Save what has been lost...bring back what once was mine. What once was mine….” El quietly finished singing, and let go of Mike's hand.

 

He slowly unwrapped his hand, a scream trapped in his throat.

 

“Please don't freak out!” El raised her hands.

 

Mike laughed nervously, turning his hand over. “I'm not freaking out. Are you freaking out? Because I'm just very interested in your hair and the magical qualities that is possesses.” He crossed his arms self consciously. “How, how long has it been doing that exactly?” He was not calm.

 

“Uh, forever?” El smiled, but then she looked away into the fire. “Papa said that when I was a baby people tried to cut it. To sell it and keep the power for themselves.”

 

Mike unfolded his arms, leaning forward towards El.

 

“But, it loses it power and turns brown. And a gift like that has to be protected.” Her voice was quieter, solemn almost. She sighed and hugged her arms against herself. “That's why Papa never let me... that's why I never left…”

 

“You never left that tower….” Mike's eyes met hers and he felt that same racing in his chest.

 

She shrugged, running a hand through her hair. “So, what's your story?”

 

Mike laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, no. I told you all you need to know. You don't want to hear anymore of my tragic past.”

 

El smiled and scooted closer to him, leaning her elbows on her knees and resting her head in her hands.

 

“Fine.” But he was smiling. “My parents didn't want me. I was in an orphanage from the age of 3. I don't remember much about them except my father was a drunk and my mother didn't care for me.”

 

El felt her stomach drop. Her papa maybe wasn't the best, but he had kept her fed and safe.

 

“And I would read the younger kids at the orphanage books. Tales about adventures, about explorers who were brave. About being someone else. And I thought... that's the life I want.”

 

“Were they thieves to?”

 

Mike shook his head, the smile fading. “No, no they were good guys. And I just wish I could've been more like that. Not some, some stupid no good thief. I could've been better, could've made something of myself….Be a hero.”

 

“But you still can.” El reached out, her hand resting on his shoulder.

 

They sat there a moment, just staring into each other's eyes. The feeling passed between them, but Mike stood up, stopping himself from leaning in to her. “I should, should probably get some more logs for the uh, the fire.”

 

“Yeah…” El leaned back, nodding and tucking the hair behind her ear.

 

Mike slowly backed away, keeping his eyes on hers.

 

“For the record...I think you're a hero Mike.”

 

“Well, you'd be the first. But thank you.” His smile was infectious.

 

El watched him leave, feeling his absence. Her heart was beating like crazy.

* * *

 

Brenner had followed the tunnel, but El didn't appear, only the two thieves that had been with the guards appeared. They had managed to free themselves when they were distracted with capturing Mike.

 

“You want that boy dead?” Brenner proposed a scheme, he'd seen their faces when Mike was mentioned.

 

They nodded. 

 

“If you help me, there may be something more valuable, a girl with magic hair.” He used El as a bargaining tool. No way would he actually give up that power.

 

The thieves agreed to help Brenner find Mike and El. They told Brenner they'd seen them in a cave, and it should lead to the river. Brenner could hear El's voice, but she was talking to Mike.

 

He watched from the shadows as Mike left to collect firewood. “Stay here.” He instructed the thieves.

 

“But you said-”

 

“We wait, you'll get your hands on Wheeler in due time. Tomorrow is when we put the full plan into action.” Brenner explained with a dismissive wave.

 

“Hello El.” He stepped out into the darkness.

 

She jumped, turning sharply at the sound of his voice. “Papa! How...how did you find me?”

 

“Oh, I just listened for the sound of complete and utter betrayal and followed that.” He sneered.

 

He grabbed for her hand. “Let's leave. Now.”

 

“No.” She pulled back from his grip.

 

“No?”

 

“I'm seeing the lights.”

 

“With that scoundrel?” He gestured to the direction in which Mike had left.

 

“He's not like that. I think...I think he might  _ like  _ me.” She shyly smiled. The feeling that passed between them...it had to mean something? The way Mike looked at her...no one had looked at her like that.

 

“Likes you? That's idiotic. You're proving you're too naïve to be here, you've invented some kind of romance.” Brenner scoffed. 

 

El shook her head. “No, I not going anywhere with you.”

 

He pulled out the satchel that El had hidden in the tower, containing the crown. “This is what he wants! This is why he's here! Don't let him deceive you!”

 

“He's not…” she would be lying if she said that didn't cause some fear in her heart. That maybe Mike  _ was  _ only there for the crown. But surely not? He risked his life for her, and the treasure couldn't mean  _ that  _ much to him.

 

“Then give it to me. Watch and you'll see.” He clicked his fingers together. “That's how fast he'll leave you. I won't say I told you so.”

 

“I will.” She took the satchel in her hands. She would give it to him...and then she'd know for certain.

 

“If he's lying don't come crying to me.” He grimaced, stepping back into the darkness leaving her with the final words, “Papa knows best….”

 

El stood in the darkness, watching the shadows from where papa had disappeared.

 

Mike came whistling back into camp, his arms piled high with firewood. “Am I going to get any powers?” he set the wood down.

“Because I already have the superhero good looks, but super strength would be cool- hey...is everything ok?” he noticed the distracted look on El's face and he immediately walked over to her, resting a hand lightly on her arm.

 

She nodded and cleared her throat. “Yeah, uh. Yeah everything's great. I'm just...tired.”

 

Mike didn't seem convinced, but he began to poke at the fire. “We should probably get some rest. Tomorrow is the big day.”

 

“Yeah.” El laughed nervously, the satchel cleverly hidden under the log.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mike's back story is a little different than Flynn's but it has the same sentiment I guess


	8. It's my birthday....

Mike woke up when a shadow blocked the early morning sun. He opened one eye to see that red headed guard holding her sword at his throat.

 

“Well I hope you're here to apologise.” He said smugly. But the guard grabbed him, pulling him up.

 

The commotion woke El and she sat up, her hair surrounding her. Across the dead fire, she could see Mike struggling with the red headed guard.

 

“Give me back my guide!” She yelled, grabbing a hold of Mike's other arm.

 

“He's a thief.”

 

“He's not doing any harm!”

 

“Owww!” Mike winced at his arms being pulled in to different directions.

 

But the guard lost her grip and Mike went flying, crashing into El and knocking her to the ground. A blush crept across his freckled cheeks and El felt the heat rise in her own when she realised their closeness.

 

The guard was quick to pull Mike off her though.

 

“Look.” El said, jumping up and dusting herself off. “I really need you to not get him arrested. He's supposed to show me the lights tonight. So for 24 hours can you leave him alone?” She pleaded with the guard. “After that you can do whatever but please, I need him alive.”

 

The guard hesitated. El rocked on her heels. “It's also my birthday today….just so you know…”

 

The guard sighed and shook El's hand. “Fine. But as soon as it's tomorrow, he's coming with me to jail.”

 

“Uh, I'm not ok with this?” Mike raised his hand, but El just gave him a knowing look.

 

“I'm Max.” The guard held out her hand. “ _Never_ Maxine.”

 

“I'm El. And you already know Mike.” El smiled. It was nice to meet another girl her age.

 

Mike and Max shook hands, both grimacing at each other.

 

“Today's the day!” El threw her hands in the air and Mike had to fight himself from smiling at her. He didn't know how much of an effect she had, just seeing her happy made him happy. He's forgotten about that promise he made to himself. He's going to let himself fall in love with her.

* * *

 

Max walked a few paces behind El, keeping a close eye on Mike as they approached the bridge just outside the kingdom walls.

 

Mike noticed a wanted poster on the wall and quickly ripped it off. He didn't need any unwanted attention. But Max gave him a stern look when he did it.

 

He gave her a shove and she pushed him back.

 

But Dart, who was sat on El's head was watching them and the two immediately cut it out, for El's sake.

 

Her eyes lit up when they passed through the city gate, seeing all those people, all those colours, sounds, smells.

 

But Mike noticed how everyone was standing on her hair. It wasn't exactly the most practical style for a busy village.

 

He scooped it up, handing Max some. “El, we need to do something about your hair.”

 

She nodded, and her eyes landed on some young girls braiding each other's hair. She approached them, smiling.

 

Mike caught on and carried over the hair. The girls shrieked with laughter, jumping at the chance to braid so much hair.

 

El sat and they wove flowers into the braid. It came down to her feet now rather than trailing 10 feet behind her.

 

“Thank you so much!” She spun around.

 

Mike felt that thumping in his chest again at the sight.

 

“How does it look?” El nervously touched her hair, for some reason Mike's opinion mattered a great deal.

 

“Pretty.” He said without even thinking. And her smile grew. But Max nudged him mockingly and he added “good. Pretty good.” Trying to play it cool. But there was no way “pretty good” was the word to describe how he thought she looked. No word could describe the feeling he had when he saw her.

 

They spent the day in the town, Max had some business to take care of which actually meant avoiding other guards in case they saw her fraternising with criminals. Especially when she was the one who let the crown get lost in the first place. She said she would meet up with them in a few hours, once the guards leave to make preparations for the lanterns.

 

Which just left Mike and El to wander around. He had taken her to the library, they'd drawn patterns in chalk along with the other village children. He even bought her a flag with the few coins he'd had saved in his pocket. It was purple with the kingdom's emblem of the sun sewn on to it. She ran her hand over the soft fabric, feeling the stitches in the material. She folded it into the small pocket in her dress for safe keeping. It was only a little piece of fabric, but it had meant so much to her, especially because Mike actually bought it. He had been a thief his whole life, but he'd spent his few coins on her and that meant the world.

 

El stopped still when she came across a mural while she was waiting for Mike to come back with some food. A small girl was laying a flower at the mural of the king, queen and...a small baby?

 

“It's for the lost Princess.” The girl explained to her smaller brother as she laid down the flower.

 

El stared at the picture of the family. She felt like...like she'd met them before. Which was impossible because she's never been to the kingdom. But the baby….the crown…? It all looked familiar.

 

“Hey.” Mike handed her a cupcake and she tore her eyes away to meet his.

 

“Thank you.” She smiled brightly, the strange feeling gone from her stomach, replaced with the new, happy feeling of being with Mike.

 

As they walked further into the village, they could hear music. El gasped and grabbed Mike's hand, pulling him into the dance floor.

 

He was clumsy at first, stepping just out of time, but his hand was on her waist, the other hand intertwined with hers. She was almost leading him, a huge grin on her face. Mike found himself enjoying the dance more and more gaining more confidence. He moved both his hands to her waist and lifted her in the air, spinning her around. Her braid hung down her back and she laughed at Mike's sudden change in dance. But it was the most fun she'd ever had.

 

He placed her down and their eyes met. Both stood still, hands still intertwined with each other's. But Mike found himself leaning forward, his nose almost touching hers.

 

“To the boats!” Came a loud voice, and Mike opened his eyes, stepping away from El.

 

“We should uh...the boats….” He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck.

 

“Yeah, we should…” El felt a weight sink on her shoulders. She had been so close to him. He had almost kissed her….

 

He took her by the hand as he led her to a smaller boat, further away from the larger boats the other people seemed to be climbing on.

 

“Where are we going?” She looked back at him as he began to paddle out into the water.

 

He smiled that contagious smile. “It's the best day of your life.” He shrugged. “I figured you could use a decent seat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided they would actually get to dance together instead of like the movie where they keep missing each other. Also I kind of got inspiration for the dancing from that scene in the little mermaid where Ariel sees the dancing and pulls Eric to the dance floor and he picks her up and spins her because it's just super cute.


	9. I see the light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had a couple days off over Easter so I've literally just been writing so much and I was excited about writing this chapter so I'm just going to post it now!

Mike rowed them out so that they had a full view of the castle. The sky was dark, and El could see the reflection of the stars in the water.

 

She was getting restless waiting for the lanterns. Nervously, she played with the flowers in her hair, handing some to Mike so she could float them in the water.

 

“Are you ok?” Mike softly asked, still holding some of the flowers.

 

She let out a breath, hand still lingering over the side of the boat. “I’ve been looking out a window for 18 years, _dreaming_ of this moment. But now that I'm here….I'm terrified.”

 

“Why?”

 

She shrugged, finally tilting her head to meet his warm gaze. “What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?”

 

“It will be.” He was so sure, so certain.

 

“And what if it is...what do I do then?” her whole life she dreamed of this moment. But what was she supposed to do when it was over?

 

Mike gave her a warm smile. “Well, that's the best part. You get to find a new dream.”

 

She looked up at him but felt a strange sadness. Tomorrow, they would part, go their separate ways. But she hoped that maybe he would want to stay. She couldn't go back to papa, not ever. She was free and to return to that kind of life would just kill her. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but for some reason all she could actually say was “Thank you Mike.”

 

El felt the heat rise in her cheeks, she didn't know why she felt embarrassed, felt like she couldn't look at him. Instead she look down into the water.

 

In the reflection of the sky, she saw a lone light slowly rising into the sky. Her heart almost stopped and she looked up to see more and more lanterns slowly filling the sky.

 

She jumped up in her excitement, almost tipping the boat. But they were real. The lanterns were real. She was finally here.

* * *

 

One by one, the kingdom released their lanterns into the sky after King James released his. The royal lantern was decorated with the symbol of the sun, the kingdom's signature. But no one knew that their lost princess had finally seen those lanterns, that she had returned. 

 

El had her eyes glued to the sky, she never knew there were so many lanterns. They surrounded the boat, basking them in an orange glow. It was everything she had dreamed it would be.

 

All those days she'd spent watching the world from her windows, outside looking in. But now she was here, surrounded by the lanterns. It was like the stars had fallen and she was amongst them. She was exactly where she was meant to be.

 

And Mike...she was meant to be here with him. He was more than just her guide. He was her friend...but somehow he was also _ more. _

 

El managed to pull her eyes away from the lanterns, and Mike had a nervous smile on his face. He had managed to buy his own lanterns - El didn't know _ where  _ he'd got them from exactly. 

 

She grinned, scooting closer to look at the lanterns. 

 

“You got me one?” She ran a hand over the paper of the lantern. 

 

He shrugged, “I figured you should get to experience it like everyone else.”

 

She liked this side of him. His vulnerable, softer side. It was more real, not some façade he put on because he wanted to seem tough. It was his true self.

 

“I...I have something for you to.” El rummaged for the satchel she'd kept hidden from him all day. “I was scared to give it to you…” Papa's words rang in her head. That he was only there because he wanted the crown. Because he didn't care for here. But everything today and all Mike had done, it confirmed for El that he wasn't just here for that anymore. That, that maybe he did actually like her.

 

“But, but now, I'm not scared anymore. Know what I mean?” She sheepishly smiled at him, handing him the satchel.

 

But he shook his head and lowered the satchel in her hand, not wanting it. 

 

“I'm starting to…” he handed her the lantern and together they sent them flying into the sky. 

 

Mike watched them rise, twirling and weaving with each other. His eyes were drawn to El, watching how she was wide eyed at the other lanterns. She was basked in the orange glow and Mike couldn't stop that feeling in his chest.

 

He knew he was gone. For a while he'd been trying to deny it, not wanting to admit to himself. But he'd broken the promise he made himself. The first promise he'd broken. He was hopelessly and incurably in love with her.

 

He'd spent his whole life trying to be something he's not. So focused on being rich. But that wasn't what he truly wanted. Now he was here with El, he knew that he was meant to be with her. His dream wasn't to be rich...his dream was to make her happy.

 

He watched her as she leaned forward to catch the lantern that was about to hit the water. Mike reached out a hand to stop her tipping.

 

Their eyes met, Mike's hand still lingering against El's. She intertwined their fingers and Mike pulled her closer.

 

“ _ And at last I see the light… _ ” their voices seemed to blend together so naturally. 

 

“ _ And it's warm and real and bright, and the world has somehow shifted… _ ” 18 years El had been kept from the world. But within the last few days, this boy had shown her everything. He'd shown her things she couldn't have imagined. She couldn't go back to where she used to be, things were different now, but in a good way.

 

“ _ Now, that I….see you… _ ” Mike brushed a strand of hair out of her face, his hand still lingering on her cheek.

They began to lean forward, but then Mike's eyes caught a glimpse of an eerie green glow. 

 

“Is... everything ok?” El followed his eyes, feeling that warmth drained from her.

 

“Oh, uh, everything's great.” He squeezed her hand. “I just have to take care of something.”

 

He rowed them to the other side of the lake to the small island.

 

“I'll be right back, just stay here where it's safe.” Mike grabbed the satchel and climbed out.

 

El nervously watched him disappear, a thumping in her chest. But it wasn't the good kind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is without a doubt my favourite scene in Tangled. I love it so much and I couldn't do it justice writing it.


	10. You want her? You'll have to kill me first

Mike strolled up to the two brothers, putting on his casual facade once again.

 

“Hey guys, glad to see you escaped capture. That beard's growing in nicely how about-”

 

“Shut it Wheeler.” The tallest brother unsheathed his knife.

 

Mike gulped, “Ok, so you're not one for a friendly catch up.” He laughed nervously. “So here, just take it.” He threw the satchel at them. “It's yours I don't want it anyway. Now we can just part ways and forget this whole thing.”

 

Mike turned to leave. He didn't want to leave El on her own for long, he was worried about her.

 

“Oh, we don't need that anymore.” The brothers passed the satchel between them. “We heard of something more valuable.”

 

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Mike stepped backwards, trying to find something as a weapon, but he'd left the frying pan with El.

 

“We want the girl with the magic hair.”

 

They want El? Over his dead body. “You want her? You'll have to kill me first.” Mike said, but one of the brothers had come up behind him and grabbed him by the arms.

 

“ _We_ won't have to.” They laughed, “the guards will take care of that.”

 

“El!” Mike shouted, struggling against his captors hold, but it was too late. They knocked him over the head and he collapsed to the floor.

* * *

 

El waited by the boat, her heart thumping in the darkness. She could have sworn she'd heard Mike yelling.

 

She relaxed a little when she saw his figure emerging from the darkness.

 

“You're ok.” She breathed out a sigh of relief. “I was starting to think you'd run off with the…”

 

Her voice died when the figure turned into two. It was not Mike. She stepped back, looking for that frying pan.

 

“Where's Mike?”

 

“He ran off, girlie.” One of the men said.

 

He gestured to the lake, “see for yourself.”

 

El could just about make out a boat sailing towards the castle, and the outline of Mike's curly hair in the light from the lanterns. No...it couldn't be.

 

“Mike wouldn't….he didn't…” she felt like her heart had been ripped out of her. The horrible sinking feeling. She should've listened to Papa. The world is full of bad men. She shouldn't have trusted anyone.

 

“But he offered us something more valuable. The girl with the magic hair…” they approached her, grinning madly. One of them held up a sack.

 

“No!” She shouted, edging backwards. This was all her fault. Why did she ever leave that tower?

 

The men were just about to grab her, she closed her eyes. But she heard two loud thuds and groans. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see Papa holding a large log and the men collapsed on the floor.

 

“Papa…” she let out a choked sob, running to him. “I'm sorry…”

 

“Quickly, before they wake up.” He hugged her, a very rare action, and they ran.

 

El cast one glance back to Mike, her heart sinking, but she was pulled by Papa.

* * *

 

Mike's head shot up, and he looked around. 

 

“El? El?” But he was alone on a boat. His hands had been tied to the wheel and the satchel thrown around his neck.

 

Those brothers…

 

He tried to get out but he was stuck. He felt a pain in his chest when he realised El probably thought he abandoned her, ran off with the crown and forgot all about her.

 

“El, I'm so sorry…” he whispered to himself. He needed to find her before those thieves did. If something happens to her he could never forgive himself.

 

But the boat hit against the dock, and Mike looked up.

 

“Ah, shit….” He muttered under his breath. He was surrounded by guards.

 

They grabbed him by the arms and pulled him out the boat, taking back the crown. He tried to get away, say he was framed but it was no use. They had all the posters.

 

“You're coming with us.”

 

* * *

 

 

Max was buying her time, watching the lanterns with the rest of the town. She'd seen Mike and El go off on their own boat. She'd be lying if she said she didn't feel a pang of jealousy, that they were so comfortable around each other, she could see how deeply they cared for one another. Max had nobody…

 

She'd come to the conclusion that maybe Mike wasn't as bad as he seemed. He was a thief, but the way he was around El...it was his true self. He was just a messed up kid like her, except he'd chosen the wrong path, whereas they had given her a chance. Maybe she should give him a chance.

 

She heard some shouting coming from the docks and it pulled her out her thoughts. It was Mike. He was surrounded by guards, but he was being pulled from a boat where he was... tied? Why would he be tied up? And El...she wasn't there.

 

Max ran to get closer but trying to remain out of sight. She could hear Mike shouting something about being tricked? That it was the two other men that stole the crown. He looked scared, but not because he was captured. He was scared about El.

 

“Where's El? I need to know she's safe! Please you have to help me! Arrest me! I don't care, but just save her, she's in trouble!” He was struggling against the guards but they just shoved him forward and didn't listen.

 

But Max heard. She needed to find a way to get to El and save Mike.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now the angst starts haha


	11. Lost Princess

“There,” Papa said as he removed the last of the flowers from El's braid. “It's like it never happened.”

 

She sighed, still clutching the small fabric of the flag that Mike had bought her back at the festival. The symbol of the sun had been everywhere in the kingdom, and she couldn't help the feeling like she'd seen it before.

 

Papa had left her alone, and she laid on her bed looking up at the ceiling.

She still couldn't believe Mike had betrayed her like that. He had given her up for that stupid crown. The crown she felt like she knew...like in some other life she'd seen it.

 

Her eyes landed on the paintings on her ceiling, she almost laughed, the pattern between them almost looked like the sun. It was weird. But once she'd noticed it, she kept seeing it in all her other paintings. But how could she know about that sun? The first time she saw it was yesterday, and she'd been painting for years.

 

It was like everything had hit her at once. It all made sense now. The kingdom, the sun, the crown... she _had_ seen it all before. There was a reason the mural looked familiar….it was her?

 

The lanterns for the lost princess that only ever happened on _her birthday_? It couldn't just be a coincidence.

 

There was a reason papa was so bent on keeping her hidden, he didn't want them to find her.

 

She burst out of her room, and papa jumped.

 

“El?”

 

“I'm...the Lost Princess.” Once she'd said it, it made sense. She'd never been so sure of something in her life. “I'm the Lost Princess. And you've been hiding me this whole time.”

 

“Don't be ridiculous.” Papa said, but he looked nervous.

 

“Then explain the lanterns, the crown, the sun….the reason I can't leave? It's all because you don't want them to find me.” She stepped forward, feeling 18 years of repressed anger surfacing.

 

Brenner's smile turned malicious. “You got me.”

 

“18 years...my whole life just…” El couldn't handle it. “Mike….?”

 

“That boy was too close. I had to get rid of him.”

 

“So...he didn't betray me? It was you?” El's hand clutched over her chest.

 

“It doesn't matter now. That criminal is to be hanged for his crimes.” Brenner laughed and El fell to her knees.

 

“No…”

* * *

 

Max didn't know what to do. She couldn't just walk up to the guards and say “hey, remember me? I abandoned you guys and now I want to set the criminal free.”

 

“Think Max, think!” She said to herself, pacing up and down. It had been 8 hours….the sun was up but Mike was still trapped and El was nowhere to be seen.

 

Around the corner Max heard some laughing, and she thought she could recognise the voices. It was the three young men from that tavern that helped Mike and El escape.

 

“You!” She jumped in front of them, and the boys screamed.

 

“We haven't done anything wrong we swear!” The smallest one held his hands up.

 

“No, I'm not here to arrest you... I'm a friend of El's.” She held her hand up, showing she had no weapons. “Oh and uh... Mike.” She rolled her eyes. She guessed she was his “friend”.

 

“El? Is she ok?” The boys changed their tone. “We came here looking for her, we wanted to know if she got to see the lanterns.”

 

“She saw the lanterns but then they vanished. Mike was captured, and I need your help.”

 

“I'm Will,” the smaller boy shook her hand, “this is Dustin and Lucas.”

 

She shook their hands, but her gaze lingered on the one called Lucas.

 

“Max.” She smiled, trying to ignore the feeling in her chest when she made eye contact with Lucas.

 

“I saw Mike being captured by the guards, but I know he's innocent.”

 

“So, you want us to break him out of jail?” Dustin grinned. “Nice.”

 

“But how would we?”  Will hand a hand on his hip. “What if we're captured.”

 

“I think I have an idea…” Dustin raised an eyebrow, laughing to himself.

 

“Uh…” Max looked at Lucas.

 

He shook his head. “Dustin's always like this.”

 

“Right….”

* * *

 

Mike slumped against the floor in his cell. He needed to get to El. Who knew what those crazy bastards had done with her.

 

The door rattled and Mike turned around to see two guards. “Today's the day!” One of them said.

 

“Excuse me?” Mike stood up slowly, not wanting to know the answer.

 

The guard pointed to the barred window in his cell, laughing to himself. Mike walked over, placing his hands on either side of the bars. Outside, were the gallows.

 

“Oh…” Mike felt his neck tightening.

* * *

 

 

The guards seized Mike by the arms and shoved him along the dungeon halls.

 

He saw the faces of other prisoners but two in particular stood out. He shoved the guards hard and grabbed the prisoner through their cell.

 

“Where is she? What have you done with her?” 

 

The brothers saw the wild look in Mike's eyes. They backed off slightly. “We uh, we don't know. That Brenner guy, he took her. We didn't know. He tricked us!”

 

Mike was pulled back by the guards, but he could still be feel the heat rising in his cheeks from pure anger. He was too late and there was nothing he could do. 

 

The guards dragged him again down the hall, but suddenly one of the doors closed. Mike looked up sharply.

 

The guard slammed his hand against the door. “Open this now!”

 

A familiar face pulled back the peephole, Will?

 

“What's the password?” 

 

“What?” The guard furrowed his brows but Will slammed the peephole shut.

 

“Nope.”

 

The guard slammed harder on the door. “I demand you open this door now!”

 

“Not even close!” Will laughed.

 

Mike caught his eyes, trying to hide a snicker. Behind him, one of the guards had been knocked out, and be turned around to see Lucas, stealing the keys from the guard's belt that he had knocked out.

 

“If you don't open this door I'll…”

 

“Ok.” Will agreed, swinging the door open to reveal Dustin carrying a frying pan, knocking the guard out.

 

“Frying pans, who knew right?” Mike smiled, never so relieved to see someone in his life.

 

Lucas helped Mike out of his shackles. “Thank you guys.”

 

“We want to help you save El.” Dustin said, “and you can't do that if you're hanging from a rope.”

 

“Thanks…” 

 

“We're glad El got her dream.” Will said quietly. “Hopefully you'll get yours.”

 

“I'm going to try.” Mike nodded. He knew they meant El, and he was going to try everything in his power to save her.

 

They ran through the dungeons, taking out the guards as they went.

 

“Not that I care…” Mike said slowly, “but, is Max ok?”

 

“She's the one that told us where you where.” Lucas smiled. “She's pretty cool.”

 

“I guess…” Mike scrunched his nose. 

 

Dustin, Lucas and Will snuck Mike out of the dungeons, meeting Max just outside the gates.

 

“Whoa Max, you stole a horse?” Mike said when he saw the horse she was holding by the reins.

 

“It's  _ mine _ .” She rolled her eyes and handed him the reins. “Just...go save her.”

 

Mike looked back at the faces of the people who'd helped him. His whole life he'd been looking out for himself, but he had people that were looking out for him.

 

“I owe you guys my life.” Mike climbed on the horse.

 

They watched him ride away, anxious that he would get there in time. They'd done all they could, but it was up to Mike now.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vague plot point because I couldn't figure out how they snuck into the palace? Yeah that's me being a lazy writer


	12. You were my new dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSA I'm bad at angsty stuff I'm trying but I'm awful so I'm sorry haha

Mike jumped off the horse, shouting at the bottom of the tower.

 

“El?! El?!” He shouted. But there was no reply. “El, it's Mike!”

 

Her hair suddenly came from the window and he climbed it, trying to climb as fast as he could.

 

Mike's curly hair appeared at the window as he climbed. El felt a weird relief that he was here but also terrified of what Brenner would do to him.

  
  


“El, are you ok?” Mike said, running towards her, desperate.

 

“Mike!” El shouted, struggling against the chains Brenner had locked her in. “Mike! It's not safe.” She tried to tell him, but she had a handkerchief over her mouth. 

 

Mike didn't listen, he was already trying to pick the lock. He heard El suddenly start shouting, but he couldn't make it out. A dark shadow blocked his light and he couldn't see to pick the locks. He felt a sharp pain in his side, worse than anything he's ever felt before and he collapsed backwards. He saw the blood beginning to bleed through his shirt and realised he'd been stabbed.

 

In Brenner's scrabble to trap El, a mirror had been knocked over, leaving shards of glass everywhere. 

 

“Ah, that's a shame.” Brenner looked down at Mike, holding a bloody piece of the mirror. “My hand must have slipped.”

 

“Let her go, you bastard.” Mike clutched his side, struggling on the floor.

 

Brenner ignored him, pulling El. “Come on, we're going somewhere no one will ever find you again.”

She struggled against him, the handkerchief falling from her mouth. “No!”

 

He carried on pulling her. “Stop fighting me.”

 

She tugged against him. “I won't stop. Every minute of every day I will fight to get away from you. But,” she saw Mike, lying in his own blood. She could save him. “If you let me heal him, I'll go with you. Willingly. Just please...let me heal him.”

 

Brenner grimaced, but he knew it was better than nothing. He chained Mike's wrist to a pillar, “Just in case you get any ideas about following us.”

 

El knelt down beside Mike, cupping his face. “Hey, it's gonna be ok.”

 

“I can't let you...I can't let you do this.” Mike coughed. He reached out, lightly brushing her cheek, trying to push her hair away from him.

 

She felt a tear roll down her face but he wiped it away. “And I can't let you die. I can't lose you.”

 

She couldn’t let him die, she needed him. She was so close to her new dream.

 

Mike reached up, his hand brushing her cheek. But she didn't know he was reaching for a piece of the broken mirror. He leaned in closer to her, and in one sharp movement, he slashed the mirror through her hair.

He didn't care if it meant he'd die. He couldn't let her go with Brenner. She maybe couldn't let him die, but she would be the one to die if she went with that man.

 

“Mike! What did you do?” El ran a hand through her hair, but it was short and brown, just below her ears. 

 

The long locks fell to the floor, turning dark brown.

 

“No!” Brenner shouted, trying to salvage the hair, picking it up. But it was futile, the hair had lost all its power.

 

He was stepped backwards tripping over the hair and falling out the window. 

 

Mike collapsed back on the floor, coughing. 

 

El was desperate, singing and holding Mike's hand to her hair, even though she knew it wouldn't work. “Please…” she cried.

 

“El...it's ok.” Mike met his hand linger in her hair. 

 

“No, it's not. I'm sorry Mike.” She buried her head in his chest, trying not to sob.

 

He cupped both her cheeks, making her look at him. “I need to tell you…” he whispered. “You were my new dream.”

 

She smiled, a tear falling from her eye. “And you were mine.”

 

A small smile crossed his lips briefly, before his eyes closed and his hand fell from El's cheek.

 

“Mike?” She shook him, but he didn't respond. “Please don't leave me.”

 

El leaned down, pressing her forehead against his. A tear fell from her eye, landing on his cheek. She sat up when a light gold glow appeared around him. Her powers still worked...but it was from her tears.

 

The dark tower was lit up from the golden glow surrounding Mike and El. She looked down at his wound and it had begun to heal.

 

Slowly Mike's eyes opened. “El?”

 

“Mike!” She wrapped her arms around his neck as he struggled to sit up.

 

“Did I ever tell you I have a thing for brunettes?” 

 

She laughed, grabbing him by the collar and crashing her lips against his.

He was taken off guard, but then kissed her back, pulling her closer to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Brenner's death seemed really quick and everything but that's how it was in the movie and I didn't know how else to write it
> 
> And this chapter is kind of short but I'm bad at endings. There's one more chapter up soon x


	13. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm bad at epilogues

El waited anxiously on the balcony in the castle, Mike holding her hand tightly. They had travelled back to the kingdom to finally meet the King, her father.

 

“What if he doesn't think it's me?” She felt sick, her breathing increasing. “What if he thinks I'm an imposter and he throws me in the dungeons?”

 

Mike kissed her forehead and rested his head on top of hers, still getting used to the short brown hair. But he still thought she looked as pretty as ever, if not more. “Hey, it's going to be ok. I promise.”

 

She nodded, but her hands were still clutching his shirt tightly.

 

He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back reassuringly. “It's going to be ok.” He murmured softly.

* * *

 

 

King James was in his library, reading his book when the moment he'd waited 18 years for arrived.

 

“Your Majesty!” A guard burst in, eyes wide. “They've found her…”

 

King James dropped his book, running faster than he ever had in his life to where the guard said she was waiting. But he stopped with his hand on the door.

 

What if it was a lie, what if she was an imposter? He didn't think his heart could take the false hope. But he was scared, scared that _he_ wouldn't be what she'd hoped. Scared she'd have some kind of resentment for him, that he hadn't been there for her.

 

But he had to know. He had to see her. He'd have given anything for just a chance and now it was here.

 

With a shaky breath, he opened the large door. His eyes landed on a young girl, but her hair was short and brown, not the gold he had been expecting. But her eyes….they were her mother's. Hesitantly he reached out, brushing the hair from her face. But he knew. He didn't know how, but he did. It was her.

 

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and she hugged back, both crying. They just sunk to their knees, finally together after 18 long years. Mike awkwardly watched, but he was just happy she had finally found her true family.

 

The king looked up at Mike, his beard starting to grey and his tired eyes filled with tears. El grabbed Mike's hand and dragged him in to the hug. And it felt like he finally had a family as well.

 

* * *

 

 

El didn't think she'd fit into the role of princess easily, but she had because she remained herself. The kingdom loved her, and they rejoiced to see she had finally returned. She was kind and patient, people would say she was a princess worth waiting for.

 

Mike proposed a few months later, the king giving him the ring he'd proposed to El's mother with. He'd wanted it to be special and he couldn't think of a better use for that ring than for El.

 

The king welcomed Mike into the family, willing to look the other way of his previous crimes because that wasn't who he was anymore. He'd brought El back, and he couldn't ask for more.

 

 Every year they continued the tradition of the lanterns on her birthday, El being the first to set one free. It celebrated her return and a new age of happiness. 

 

As for Max...well, she was in charge of security, doing a much better job than the previous general. She and Lucas were living happily together. After rescuing Mike, they got to talking. It took a bit of convincing, but she agreed to go out with him. And it was the best decision she ever made. 

 

 Dustin was employed as the head royal scientist and El never tired of hearing his latest discoveries.

 

Will was also put in charge of creating the portraits for Mike and El's wedding, and finally Mike had found someone who could draw his nose correctly. Well...good enough - El was left in fits of laughter at all the failed attempts at Mike's nose. ("it's not that hard to draw!", "I love you but it is")

 

Mike would tell their kids the story of the girl with magic hair, who saved a thief that didn't think he was worth saving.

 

The kingdom flourished under their rule, and things were finally at peace, El had a real family with friends who loved her.  

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie I felt weirdly emotional writing this. I just want everyone to be happy and together. I can't remember the last time I wrote a mileven au where they didn't end up married or engaged at the end because I'm just such a sappy mess that I want them to be together in every universe


End file.
